Instrument-board lamp



T. J. KERWIN.

INSTRUMENT BOARD LAMP.

APlLICATION FILED JULY 30,1921.

1942225884:, K PatentedSpt. 19, 1922.

53 I 4Z Z@ 33 'Patente-d Sept.. i9, 1922..

NETE@ `STATES arrasar retenir carica.'

I THOMAS J'. KER'WIN, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO EDMUNDS t El' ONES CORO- RATION, A CORPORATIONOF NEW YORK.

INSTRUMENT-BOARD rama Application 'lled July 30,

To all whom it may concer/n.:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. KERWIN., citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Instrument- Board Lamp, and I do herebydeclare the following to be a Jfull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enportant aspect, myD invention relates to'v socket shell constructions and aims to provide simple means for interlocking the shell portions of sockets having inner and outer shells, such as those employing an' outer casing portion for supporting a cowl or reflector. Furthermore, my invention aims to provide simple means for retaining the terminal carrier of the socket in operative posibushing has tion and also aims to provide a simple shell construction suitable for use where thel axis of the socket is to be disposed oblique to its support.

In another important aspect, my invention relates to means for switching a lampsocket on and o' and aims Ato provide an unusually simple and cheaply manufactured switching arrangement and one particularly adapted for use in connection with cowl lampsnor instrument-board lamps. Still further and more detailed objects will appear from the following specification and from the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a central and longitudinal section through a lamp-socket embodying my invention, namely one of a typesuited for use on the dashboard or instrument-board of an automobile.

Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections, throughi the same embodiment, taken respectively along the correspondingly numbered linesof Fig. 1. Y,

Referring first to my novel socket shell construction as disclosed 'in the illustrated embodiment, this includes a bushing 1 eX- tending through a dashboard or instrumentboard 2 and threaded at its rear end-Tte fit4 a clamping nut 3. At its forward end this an outwardly directed flange v t 4.- which is disposed in front of the dashboard 1921. Serial No. 488,556.

or instrument-board and which has its outer edge overhung by an inwardly directed ilan e 5 formed from the rear end of a connecting shell 6. rllhis connecting shell has 1t s forward end providedy with an inwardly dlrected flange 7 contacting flatwise with an lnwardly directed flange Sforming the rear end of the outer Shelli 9 which houses the inner. or lamp-receiving shell 12 of the socket. This outer shell is equipped at its forward end for receiving a cowl or rei-lector 10 which sultably restricts the light from an incandescent lamp 11.

The anges 7 and 8 `desirably have bores of the same size so as to snugly house a refar- I ward portion of the inner shell 12, the latter being shown as equipped with the cusc tomary bayonet slot formations for nterlocking with projections 13 on the base of the lamp. The inner shell12 is also equipped with an outwardly directed bead 14C overh'anging the forward, face of the ange 8 on.

the said outer shell 9, while the extreme rear end of the said inner shell has fingers 15 formed from it and outwardly directed to overlap the .flange 7 and to clamp both of the flanges 7 and 8 between the said fingers and the bead 14. When these fingers are pressed tightl into position, they cooperate with the bea 14 in securing the shell portions 6, 9 and 12 of the socket rigidly to one another without requiring the use of `auX- iliary fastening elements of any kind.

To aord ythe required connection to the axial lamp contact element 16, I desirably employ a plunger 17 slidahly mounted in the bore ofV a tubular contact member 18 and continuously pressed forward by the spring 19. This contact member which cooperates with the spring-pressed plunger in forming the lamp terminal of the socket, has a closed rear end and extends longitudinally through an insulator 20 to which it is anchored b a` are also lformed from the rear end of the shell 12 and which are inwardly directedto overhang an annular shoulder 23 on the 1nsulator 20. rlhese nger`sv22 desirably alternatewith the fingers 15 circumferentially of the shell 12 as shown in Fig. 2. I also dei sirably provide the insulator 20 on oneside with a longitudinal groove 23 which is entered by an inwardly directed nub 24 on the shell 12, thereby preventing the insulator and the tubular contact member 18 from rotating'within the said inner shell.

The metal shell portions of the socket are desirably groumded to-one terminal of the circuit, such as the wire 25, while the companion yvire 26 is secured to a wire terminal 27 carried by a second insulator 28 which is fastened in the bushing 1. This wire terminal 27 is spaced `from the lamp terminal of which the tubular member 18 forms a part, andthe conection between the twois desirably\made by a resilient member carried by one of these terminals and adapted to be flexed into or out'of contact with the other terminal at the will of the user of the socket. For this switching purpose, I am here showing the wire terminal 27 as having its forward end slotted to receive the rear end of a lat spring 28 which is anchored to the said terminal by a rivet 29. This flat spring or resilient contact member 28 -is here shown as so arranged that its own resiliency will normally hold its forward end portion out of engagement with the rear end of the tubular member 18, or in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. To fiex this re-v silient member 28 into contacting relation with the lamp terminal of the socket, I desirablyy provide an actuating member carriedby and partly housed by the connecting shell 6, such as a lever 29 (of fiber or other insulating material) pivoted between a pair of ears 30, these ears being desirably formed integral with the shell 6 as shown in Fig. 3. I also desirably provide the resilient 'contactmember 28 with a hump 31 over which the inner end of the lever 29 rides in moving` from one to the other of its two distinctive positions, sothat this hump will cooperate with theflexing of thecontact member in` holding the lever 29 latched -whe'n the current is switched on as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. Likewise, the other side of the hump tends to force the lever in the other direction when moved to the position shown in dotted lines, thereby pressing the lever against the mouth of the bushing 1 and hence latching it in its off position` To insure an ample contact surface between the parts 18 and 28, I desirably slope the rear end'of the former, as for example after the manner shown in Fig. 1. I also desirably provide positive means independent of the resilient member for preventing the wire terminal 27 from rotating in the bushing 1, as for example by indenting a nub 32 on the said bushing into the insulator 28 and fastening this insulator non-rotatably to the wire terminal 27 by' a transverse pin 33. 1

'With the parts thus arrangedit will be ifiaaeea obvious from the above that I require no auxiliary fastening elements whatever forj connecting the various casing portions l1, 6,

9 and 142 rigidly to one another, and that the i invention .or from the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

v1. In a lamp socket, a pair of outer shells arranged to extend in continuation of each other and equipped with relatively overlapping flanges, and -an inner lamp-receiving shell having one end clenched over and housing the edges of both of said flanges.' J

2. In a lamp socket, a pair of outer shells arranged in end to end relation and each having the edges of their said ends turned inwardly to form flanges which latter abut with each other, and an inner lamp-receiving shell having one end engaged with the said/'flanges to clamp same in their said abutting relation.

3. A lamp socket shell construction comprising an outer shell inwardly flanged at its rear end, a supporting shell having at its forward end an inward Hange abutting 'the flange of the said outer shell, and an inner shell housed by the outer shell and equipped with a bead overhanging the forward face of the dange on the said outer shell and having outwardly directed fingers formed from the rear end of the inner shell and overhanging the flange on the outer shellA to clamp both flanges against the bead.

t. A lamp socket comprising an outer shell equipped at its rear end with an inwardly directed flange, a supporting member having an inwardly directed flange abutting the aforesaid flange, an inner shell extending through both flanges and having Mii an outwardly directed formation engaging the forward face of the first named flange and having outwardly directed lingers overhanging the flange on the supporting member to clamp both flanges against the said outwardly directed formation, and a'terminal carrier within the inner shell, the inner shell also having inwardly directed fingers engaging the terminal carrier to prevent the rearward sliding of the latter.

5. A lamp' socket comprising an outer' shell equipped at its rear end with an inwardly directed flange, a supporting member having an inwardly directed ange conrected lingers overhanging the flange on the X supporting member to clamp both fianges 4 against the said outwardly directed formalili tion, and a terminal carrier within the inner shell, the inner shell and the terminal carrier being equipped with cooperating formations for preventing the terminal carrier from rotating within the innershell and from sliding rearwardly.

6. A lamp socket comprising a pair of outer shell portions disposed in substantial continuation of each other, an inner shell jointly housed thereby and equipped with integral formations for clampingly securing the outer shell port-ions to each other and to the inner shell, and a terminal, carrier disposed in the inner shell, the inner shell also having integral `formations engaging the terminal carrier to prevent a rearward sliding of the latter.

7. A lamp socket as per claim, 6, in which the integral formations on the inner shell include outwardly directed fingers engaging one of the outer shell portions and inwardly directed fingers alternating circumferentially of the inner shell with the aforesaid fingers and engaging the terminal carrier.

8. A lamp socket comprising ashell having a lateral aperture, a wire terminal and a lamp terminal both mounted therein and insulated from each other, a resilient contact member carried by the wire terminal and normally held out of engagement with the lamp terminal by its own resiliency, and an actuating member extending through the said aperture and adapted to force the con- 'tact member into engagement with the lamp terminal, the contact member being formed for positively latchin the actuating member either in its said engagement-forcing position or in another position in which the contact member is out of engagement with the lamp terminal.

9. A lamp socket comprising a shell having a lateral aperture, a wire terminal and a lamp terminal both mounted therein andy insulated from each other, a resilient con- -tact member carried by the wire terminal and normally held out of engagement with the lamp terminal by its own resiliency, and

a lever extending through the said aperture and engaging the contact member and adapted in one position to flex the contact member into engagement with the lamp terminal, the contact member being formed for latching the lever in either of rtwo positions in only one of which it affords the said Hexing.

10. A cowllamp socket embodying an inner shell equipped for interlocking with the base of a lamp, a base member equipped for securing the same to a support, a connecting shell portion secured to the base member, and an outer shell equipped for supporting a cowl, the inner shell having combined integral means thereon for clampingly securing the outer and connecting shells to itself and to each other.

11. In a lamp socket, a pair o'f outer shells arranged in end to end relation and eac-h having their said ends provided with abutting parts, and an inner lamp-receiving shell having one end engaged with said parts to clamp same together.

12. In a lamp socket, a pair of outer shells .arranged in approximate continuation of 13. In a lamp socket, a pair of outer shells arranged in end to end relation and having their said ends provided with abutting parts, an inner shell, a terminal carrier in the inner shell, and means integral with the inner shell for clamping said abutting parts t0- gether and for engaging the terminal carrier to prevent sliding thereof in one direction.

14; In a lamp socket, a pair of outer shells arranged in end to end relation and having their said ends provided with abutting parts, an inner shell, a terminal ycarrier in the inner shell, and combined means carried by the inner shell and extending respectively outwardly and inwardly thereof for clamping said abutting parts together and for engaging the terminal carrier to prevent sliding thereof in one direction.

15. In a lamp socket, a shell, a wire terminal and a lamp terminal therein having a beveled end, a resilient contact member connected tothe wire terminal at one end and having its opposite end free .and arranged at an angle to engage the beveled end of the lamp terminal and formed with a convex part, and a lever having an end formed to ride over said part and in one po-.

ria

to hold said latter .end engaged with the r.

beveled end of the lamp terminal.

16. In a lamp socket, a shell, a wire terminal and a lamp terminal therein, a resilient contact member connected to the wire terminal at one end and having its opposite lend 17. In a lamp socket, a shell, a wire termif 'free and arranged at an angle to engage the K nal and a lamp terminal therein, a resilient Contact member connect to the Wire terminal atone end and having its opposite end free and formed to en age the lamp terminal, a lever engageable Wizi and means on the contact member to engage the lever to cause the lever When 'on one side of the means tohold the lever latched in engagement With the Contact member and when on the opposite side to hold the lever in latched position With the Contact member out of engagement With the lamp terminal.

18. In a lamp socket, a shell, a Wire termi'- nal and a'lamp terminal therein, a resilient the contact member,

,mea-ns carried by the contact member to positively latch the operating means with the contact member out of engagement with the lamp terminalin one position, and in a Asecond position to positively latch the operating means vvith the contact member engaged With the lamp terminal.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, July 26th,'

THoMAs J.' KERWIN. 

